Quebec Bans Face Veil for Public Workers

QUEBEC – Quebecers were asked Wednesday to put a new face forward – an uncovered one – as the Charest government announced guidelines on reasonable accommodation that ban the niqab, the Islamic face veil, while allowing the hijab, or head scarf.

Public employees, education and health workers will be required to have their faces uncovered under Bill 94, presented in the National Assembly Wednesday.

Quebec is also lifting the veil on people seeking government services - for example, those who show up looking for student loan information, or trying to cash in a winning lottery ticket at Loto-Québec, a government agency, or challenging a bill at Hydro-Québec.

Students from daycare all the way to university, as well as hospital patients and people consulting a CLSC nurse, must also show their faces.

"Today, the government has taken a determined step to clarify the issue of reasonable accommodation and to affirm Quebec values," said Premier Jean Charest.